Banbridge Mass and Exhibition Focuses on Martyr Fr Joseph Monaghan

On Sunday, 31st August 2025, St Patrick’s Church Banbridge, Co Down held an afternoon in memory of Columban Martyr, Fr Joseph Monaghan, who along with Frs John Henaghan, Patrick Kelly, and Peter Fallon was killed in Manila during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in February 1945. Our Archivist, Róisín O’Brien reports on the day’s commemorative events.

The afternoon began with a concelebrated Mass at 3pm. Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All Ireland, was the principal celebrant, along with Columbans Frs David Kenneally, Patrick O’Donoghue, and Kevin McHugh.

It was also concelebrated by Bishop John McAreavey, Fr Aiden McGrath (Irish Franciscan Provincial), Fr Eddie Deeney and Fr. Joe Glynn (SMA Fathers). Fr Andrew McMahon (Parish Priest) was the Master of Ceremonies and Deacon Michael Rooney assisted.

Archbishop Martin highlighted the importance of marking and remembering Missionaries and Martyrs, especially this year, the Jubilee Year of Hope.

Fr Andrew McMahon recalled the life of Fr Monaghan, beginning with his birth in 1907 and early education in Banbridge and later in Newry.

In 1925 after completing his studies in St Colman’s Newry, Fr Monaghan studied in St Senan’s in Cahiracon, Co Clare, and later at the Columban seminary, Dalgan, Shrule, Co Mayo.

Later, Fr Monaghan travelled to Omaha, Nebraska, in the USA to complete his studies and he was ordained a priest in December 1931.

Fr McMahon recalled Fr Monaghan’s vacation home to Ireland in 1932 before his assignment to the Philippines. He highlighted his work in the Philippines in education at catholic schools and colleges.

Noting Fr Monaghan’s talent for letter writing, he referenced letters he wrote to his family during his time in Manila which showed he was “self-assured and very witty, and someone who had a lightness of touch and a zest for life”, and had a devotion to the Legion of Mary.

Recalling the Japanese occupation of Manila, he highlighted how Fr Monaghan and his Columban colleagues provided aid to internees and prisoners of war in various prisons, as well as setting up and running the Remedios Hospital. It was this work that brought the Columbans in Malate under suspicion from the Japanese forces.

Before Christmas 1944, Fr Monaghan and his fellow priests were arrested and held over Christmas for a brief time. Fr McMahon outlined the hopes of the Columbans and the people of Malate had when news came that American forces would soon enter and liberate the city from Japanese forces.

In the weeks known as the ‘Massacre of Manila’, between February and early March 1945, much suffering was caused by Japanese forces trying to hold on to the city, as American forces tried to break the Japanese grip on Manila.

It was during these weeks, in mid-February, when Frs Momaghan, Kelly, Henaghan, and Fallon were arrested, and their church burned. The priests were then taken to a nearby apartment block and were never seen alive again. The apartment block was burned, and Fr Monaghan’s body was never found. Shortly after this, American forces took Manila and Japanese forces surrendered the city by April 1945.

Archbishop Martin’s homily, which can be read here: https://columbans.ie/archbishop-martin-treasure-the-testimony-of-fr-monaghan/  focused on the martyrdom of Fr Monaghan and his fellow priests.

At the end of the Mass, Fr McMahon expressed his thanks to Archbishop Martin and to the people who were previously mentioned for their support and assistance with the mass. He thanked Fr Patrick O’Donaghue and Róisín O’Brien for welcoming him to Dalgan and the archive, and for their assistance with providing access to Fr Monaghan’s records.

Fr McMahon also thanked the Columban Sisters for their assistance; relatives of Fr Monaghan for the family history, and parishioners Ann Doran, and her son James for putting together the information, display boards, and presentation.

The Exhibition and Presentation
After the Mass, four exhibition boards were brought out and positioned at the bottom of the church, and a projector screen was set up at the top of the church.

The exhibition boards covered all aspects of Fr Monaghan’s life from his birth in Banbridge, his education in St Coleman’s, Newry and his life with the Columban Fathers.

The boards also explored the foundation of the Columban Fathers, the history of Malate, and the Japanese occupation of Malate during World War II.

Each board focused on a different aspect of Fr Monaghan’s life, including his Journey to priesthood; his life as a Missionary; Fr Monaghan the Martyr; and the early Columban mission to the Philippines. The boards featured photographs, maps, news articles and excerpts from letters. One of the maps traced Fr Monaghan’s journey from Dun Laoghaire, Ireland to Manila, Philippines.

The presentation was narrated by Anne Doran and James Doran. It opened with Fr Monaghan’s family history in Banbridge and explained why the family left there in the 1920s. Using one of Fr Monaghan’s letters to his sister, Emma, the presentation tracked his time in Ireland on vacation after his ordination, and the journey from Dun Laoghaire to Manila.

Fr Monaghan’s letters also provided an insight into his time in Manila. Due to World War II, his vacation in 1942 did not happen, and Fr Monaghan’s disappointment was clear in his letters, as too was his hope that the war would end soon.

Letters and news reports provided context for the events of Christmas 1944 when Fr. Monaghan and his fellow Columbans were arrested. Witness statements and letters to Ireland provided accounts for the events in February when Frs Monaghan, Heneghan, Kelly and Fallon were arrested and killed.

The presentation ended with an image of the pieta in Manila, remembering the people of the city who died during the war, including the Columbans, and an excerpt of a letter from a Good Shepard Sister stating that Fr Monaghan “worked miracles” through his work in Manila.

Fr Monaghan’s memorial mass and presentation was recorded and live-streamed and can be viewed here until 31st December 2025: https://www.mcn.live/Cameras/Player/264058